Comparison

TED Talks vs Fathomly

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TED Talks

Access thousands of inspiring and informative videos on a wide range of topics. Get personalized recommendations, watch with subtitles in over 100 languages, and download content for offline viewing. Stay curious and informed with this educational resource.

Highlights
  • Personalized recommendations
  • Subtitles in over 100 languages
  • Browse by topic or curator picks
  • Stream to Apple TV with AirPlay
  • Download videos for offline viewing
  • Watchlist for later
  • Surprise Me! feature
Features
Read full description

Get personalized recommendations that match your unique interests, or browse TED’s library of thousands of inspiring, informative, transformational videos for free. Features on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch: ・Sign in to get personalized recommendations and sync videos across all your devices ・Watch videos with subtitles in over 100 languages ・Check out the newest and trending videos, browse by topic, or select from our curators’ picks ・Stream videos to your Apple TV with AirPlay ・Download videos to watch offline ・Add talks your list to watch later ・Toggle between dark mode or light modes ・Get instant inspiration with the “Surprise Me!” feature Get the TED app to stay curious, informed and inspired.

About

Fathomly

Transform any YouTube video into an interactive learning experience. This app uses cognitive science principles like active recall and spaced repetition to help you retain information long-term. It offers AI-generated summaries, a personal takeaway gallery, and adaptive testing to master any subject.

Highlights
  • Interactive learning paths from YouTube videos
  • AI video summaries
  • Active recall and spaced repetition
  • Adaptive testing
  • Personal takeaway gallery
  • Topic debate feature
Features
Read full description

Master any topic, and actually remember it. Most of what you read or watch fades within days. Fathomly makes knowledge stick. Pick any subject, from philosophy and history to neuroscience and finance, and Fathomly builds an interactive learning path broken down into bite sized, adaptive lessons. As you advance, questions adapt to your level so you are always challenged at the right depth. Backed by cognitive science: active recall and spaced repetition ensure long term retention. What you can do in Fathomly: • Interactive Courses on Any Topic: Learn complex subjects through step by step lessons with instant feedback and explanations when you get an answer wrong. • 1v1 Knowledge Duels: Put what you learn to the test by battling head to head in quiz matches. • Weekly Sunday Tournaments: Compete on the weekly leaderboard across three exam papers to win rewards and free Scholar access. • Smart Flashcards and Active Recall: High yield cards generated straight from your courses, scheduled just before you forget them. • Daily Streaks and Reminders: Build a daily learning habit with smart nudges to keep your streak alive. Fathomly Scholar Start with a 3 day free trial. Upgrade to Fathomly Scholar to unlock full courses, all tournament papers, and 1v1 duels: • Weekly: £2.99 / week (includes 3 day free trial) • Monthly: £8.99 / month • Yearly: £79.99 / year Payment is charged to your Apple ID upon confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store Account Settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tryfathomly.com/privacy

Screenshots

TED Talks4 screens
Fathomly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: TED Talks at 4.6 against Fathomly's 4.0. TED Talks also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (10K vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Fathomly sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. TED Talks asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

TED Talks holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: TED Talks has 10K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TED Talks ships an update every 2 weeks, Fathomly every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
TED Talks versus Fathomly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTED TalksFathomly
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (10K ratings) — better4.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews43.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings10K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size112 MB12 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperTED Conferences LLCjake green

Customer experience

TED Talks

All ratings10,319 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral3.1%
Negative6.6%
Written reviews1,758 reviews
Positive43.7%
Neutral17.4%
Negative38.9%

Fathomly

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

TED Talks

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes frequently
  • Videos fail to load or play
  • Saved talks disappear from user's list
  • Syncing issues with user accounts
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add ability to create and manage playlists
  • Implement background audio playback
  • Improve Chromecast support
  • Add more customization options (e.g., video playback speed, dark mode)
  • Enhance discoverability of new and relevant content

Fathomly

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

TED Talks

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Fathomly

Subscriptions3
  • Fathomly Scholar$2.997 Days
  • Fathomly Scholar$9.991 Month
  • Fathomly Scholar$79.991 Year

Questions

Is TED Talks free?
TED Talks is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Fathomly free?
Fathomly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TED Talks or Fathomly?
TED Talks is rated higher. TED Talks averages 4.6 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Fathomly averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.
Do TED Talks or Fathomly have ads?
Neither TED Talks nor Fathomly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TED Talks or Fathomly?
TED Talks ships an update every 2 weeks, and Fathomly every 4 weeks. Most recently, TED Talks was updated on November 6, 2026 and Fathomly on November 6, 2026.

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